oh, you make me dizzy

Lily laughed. “You’re right, I’m not kidding. That would be a terrible joke.” She pulled her hands out of Alice’s, pointing at her drink once they were free. “These would taste amazing with vodka, don’t you think?”

“You’re right.” Alice smacked her hand against the counter and grinned wider, if that were even possible. “You’re absolutely right. That’s what’s missing here.” She skipped away to the drink cart on the other side of the door, waiting diligently for guests in the foyer. Only when she’d located their most expensive bottle of vodka (though there were only two, and both were rather fancy, she had to admit) did Alice return. “Just tell me when,” she said as she popped the top off the bottle. “I get a little trigger happy for special occasions.

“You’d think so,” he said, a tone of arrogance to it. “But who’s really doing the supervising on these things? You never know. And slackers are good at slipping through the cracks if you’re not diligent.”

Alice split her suspicious gaze between Bertram and the ferris wheel evenly.

He hadn’t expected the obtuse observation to get so far to be honest, and he wasn’t sure he even had a reason for why he thought so other than the simple desire to say as much. But now that the matter had been addressed, he thought he ought to come up with something good. “If not for the fact I saw the Metal-charmer who put it up tossing something glass in a brown paper bag into the bin just after he was done, the story about that one catching fire in Derry when a stray firework hit would do the trick.”

Alice started to laugh, until she turned and saw that Bertram was as serious as a heart attack. She pressed a hand to her mouth as her eyes widened. “That didn’t really--- Surely they would put shield charms around the perimeter to be safe?”

“This is a lawsuit waiting to happen,” Bertram said almost gleefully, eyeing the ferris wheel at the end of the lane.

“I think that might be a bit dramatic,” Alice said slowly, eyeing the ferris wheel with a small speck of skepticism. “There are ferris wheels all over the...” She trailed off, that small speck spreading into full blown suspicion. “What makes you think so?”

“James and I are getting married,” Lily said decisively. Despite herself, despite the reason she had come, she smiled. She couldn’t help herself apparently, when she thought of her future with James.

Alice gasped audibly, immediately followed with a giddy giggle. “You’re kidding. You’re not kidding, no, but you’re kidding!” She grabbed Lily’s hands and shook them up and down excitedly.

“That doesn’t make it any less true. Besides, I would probably still tell you if I thought you weren’t ready for a baby.” 

“Are you adopting a baby or an older kid? Do you know yet? That might make a difference as far as which toy is the best.” 

Alice hadn’t thought about that yet. No, that wasn’t entirely true. She had thought about it, but only in the sense that she had eagerly made herself and Frank available to children of any age, making sure the agency knew that they would be happy to give a home to an older child who may have been passed over. Still, as she hadn’t requested any specific age, and they hadn’t heard any details from the agency, Alice couldn’t be sure. But Emmeline was right; it mattered. How had she not considered that yet?

A nervous laugh overcame Alice.

“We might get a baby,” Frank repeated rather lamely, not that it was any worry of his. He pressed his lips against Alice’s; Frank was certain she could feel the smile on his lips.

Alice had never felt such a strong permeance of euphoria as she did now. But the purity of it didn’t last; still excited -- fueled by her excitement, really -- she pulled back and gripped Frank’s arms urgently.

“We have so much to do. Merlin’s beard, so much to do.” Alice glanced around the room as if the pieces she needed were there around her. “Which room are we converting to the nursery? And what all does one have to do to baby proof a nursery?”

“One of the many reasons you’d be a grand nan, pal. Sneak those eventual grandkids sweets while their parents aren’t looking.” Hestia snaked her arm through Alice’s with a quiet laugh, “Let’s go, Ms. Alice.”

“I hope I can hold you to that statement when the time comes,” Alice chuckled. “But yes, we’ve kept the sweets waiting for us long enough.”

“You are happy?” Of course she couldn’t be anything but elated, Frank knew this, but he dumbly asked anyway. His brain couldn’t fathom speech beyond drivel. 

“Yes.” Alice spoke without hesitation, though, truthfully, happy wasn’t exactly what she was. “I’m elated. I’ve never---” The reality of it was sinking in now, and with it came a wave of fresh tears and cracking voice. After years of hoping and trying and working tirelessly, Alice and Frank might finally get to have a baby. “I don’t think I’ve ever been this happy before in my life.”

“Not all of it,” Lily promised, “I’m a very forgiving person.” That wasn’t actually true at all, but she wasn’t sure Alice would know that. “About half, maybe three quarters.” Lily pulled the drink Alice offered her towards her, but she didn’t lift it up, not yet. She peered into it thoughtfully; anyone observing might think she was studying its contents carefully - and with Alice’s history, that would be sensible - but in fact she was thinking hard, teeth worrying into her bottom lip. She looked up at Alice. “No, that’s not why I came, you’re right. It’s merely an added bonus.”

Alice made sure to smile gently, as reassuring as she could be while maintaining her sincerity. She would never force Lily to talk; sometimes, all someone needed was to sit quietly in good company. Whichever it was that Lily needed, or even if it was something in between, Alice waited patiently, hoping she could provide whatever it was Lily needed.

“I think they should give you additional points for creativity. I would, anyway.” Emmeline smiled, running a reassuring hand down Alice’s arm. “Besides, I doubt anything could hurt your chances. You and Frank practically radiate responsible and ready to love a baby. ” 

“Oh, but you’re the best friend, you’re meant to say that. Bound by the best friend laws.”

“You know what, I hear you and I understand completely. Spoken like a true stodgy old nan catching her grandkids with their hand stuck in the biscuit tin. And you know I do love a good biscuit.”

“Well there’s no need to stick your hand in when your nain will do it for you,” Alice chuckled, offering Hestia her arm. “Shall we?”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen one in that color before.” 

“I thought it might be fun,” Alice shrugged. “Exciting. Attention grabbing. I don’t know.”

“Alice Longbottom. Have you been holding out on me, ma’am? There might be a copy of the next Quidditch Weekly in it for you if you share.”

“I’m not sure I like what you’re implying, Hestia,” Alice joked through a narrowed gaze. “I had every intention of sharing, but now that I know you’re the sort to engage in bribery, I’m not sure if you deserve to be shared with at all.”

“Alice, I’m not asking you to attach yourself to a bottle like a baba to a teet. Not yet, at least.”

“Yet?” Alice chuckled and took a seat beside Amelia. “I wonder what sort of circumstance would inspire that.”

“Al, the agency wants to place a child with us.”

“Now I’m back to being afraid again,” Lily teased, but she followed Alice into the kitchen. 

“I have a feeling I’m going to spend the rest of this visit trying to redeem myself,” Alice grinned. She pulled a glass pitcher from the fridge as she summoned a pair of glasses from the cabinet with her free hand. She slid the first towards Lily and leaned forward, an elbow on the counter and a palm beneath her chin as the charmed pitcher poured a second glass and put itself away. “Never mind the redemption. Now I think I might spend the visit prodding.” Something told her Lily had come round with a purpose, and if she wasn’t going to say what it was outright, Alice had no problem doing her best to extract it from the ginger. “You walked into my garden with purpose, and judging by the conversation thus far, I’m guessing it had nothing to do with my culinary experimentation.”